Private sector backed - public sector hacked

A monster, squatting in the north west London suburbs, spewing out pollution and noxious fumes... the proposed Brent Cross Cricklewood Plan gets the government go ahead. Simultaneously the same government announces cuts to hospitals and schools and thousands face unemployment and wage reductions.

Welcome to the Land of the ConDems!

Eric Pickles, Communities Secretary, has announced via the doomed Government Office for London, that he is not going to call in the Brent Cross Development for a Public Inquiry. Having considered the matter he believes that despite the massive opposition locally, increased traffic pollution,  the impact on neighbouring boroughs, the health threat posed by unproven incinerator technology, and the fact that the Westfield Shopping Centre has been built since the initial application, that his 'intervention would not be justified'!

Co-ordinator Lia Colacicco of the Coalition for a Sustainable Brent Cross Cricklewood Plans spoke for many of us when she said, "This ill-conceived decision by the secretary of state does not bode well for future planning decisions, and is completely at odds with new Conservative Party policies on planning, and the recent Coalition Government planning statement.

"We will continue to fight this regressive, unpopular scheme, to replace it with a sustainable development that meets both 21st century standards and the needs and aspirations of the whole community."

DENHAM ISSUES 'STOP' ORDER ON BRENT CROSS APPLICATION

The Government Office for London yesterday issued  a 'stop notice' on the Brent Cross Cricklewood Development.  This instruction, under Section 14 of the Town and Country Planning Order 1995, directs Barnet Council not to grant planning permission on this application without specific authorisation from John Denham, the secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Denham has now given himself more time to consider whether to call in the application for a public inquiry. He has wider powers than Boris Johnson and will need to consider the massive local opposition, sustainability issues and the views of neighbouring councils.

Brent Council's reservations are summarised in a letter from Paul Lorber, leader of the Council and Cllr. Alec Castle (Dollis Hill):

We have restated Brent’s formal opposition to the plans, and made clear that until key wider planning aspects of importance to us are resolved, our strong objections will remain.



The developers have paid little attention to transport issues, and without measures in place to alleviate the likely problems of thousands of extra cars and heavy freight lorries navigating the streets off Cricklewood Broadway and Edgware Road, the impact in Cricklewood, Dollis Hill and Dudden Hill would be devastating.


In our view, no work should begin until appropriate traffic measures and parking restrictions have been formally agreed and put in place. These in turn must be properly informed and influenced by a long-awaited study on the wider traffic flow around the A5 Corridor.

The stop notice does not definitely mean that Denham will call in the application or order a public inquiry but does indicate that the Coalition for A Sustainable Brent Cross Cricklewood Plan have made a considerable impact. They deserve our congratulations and thanks.

BLEARS REFUSES TO 'CALL IN' ACADEMY PLANS

The Government Office for London has refused to 'call in' the plans for the Wembley ARK Academy. 'Call in' happens if the Secretary of State considers the application raises issues of more than local importance and therefore requires her intervention.

In a letter to Brent Council, Andrew Melville, Director of Housing and Planning for the Government Office for London states that having considered issues felt to be relevant to the proposal and issues raised by Brent Council and other representations, 'it has been concluded that the Secretary of State's intervention would not be justified' and that the application should be decided by the London Borough of Brent.

The decision follows that of the London Mayor to refer the decision back to Brent. There are still other avenues open to campaigners who remain convinced that Wembley Park playing fields are the wrong place for a school as well as those of us like the Brent Green Party who in addition oppose academies in principle as a form of privatisation and a loss of local participation in our children's education. Brent Green Party want to see a locally democratically accountable community secondary school in South Brent where the need is highest and where it will provide a valuable community resource.